My Little Runaway (Destiny Bay) (11 page)

He slipped an arm around Jennifer’s shoulders to guide her out through the heavy glass door, and she looked up at him, giving him her widest, warmest smile—the one that always made his heart stop in his chest- -a mini heart attack. And then the adrenaline would surge.

God, he thought breathlessly, following her out the door. How could any man look at another woman once he’d seen Jennifer? How had he managed to survive all these years without her?

Jennifer was nervous but confident. She was so anxious to do right by Reid this time. At least she was dressed right. That was a start—and so unusual for her! She was going to behave correctly. She was going to be so careful not to do anything to make him embarrassed to be with her.

It shouldn’t be that difficult. After all, she knew the rules. She’d grown up with them. Just because she’d rebelled against them didn’t mean she didn’t have them implanted in her brain. She wanted to make up to Reid for what had happened that afternoon. She wanted so badly for him to be proud of her.

Dan was waiting at an outside table with two tall, beautiful women, one dark-haired, the other glacially blond. He stood as they approached, but Jennifer noticed he wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“We’re going to lose our court if we don’t hurry,” he suggested quickly, shouldering his racquet. “Shall we get right to it?”

“Let me introduce Jennifer first,” Reid said. “Jennifer Thornton, this is Muffy Craig and this is Astrid Marvel. Jennifer will join us at the sidelines if it’s all right with you two.”

“Of course. She can take my place if she wants to,” Muffy, the more animated of the two spoke up. “Or we could trade off.” Her smile was genuinely friendly. “I must confess, I’m not the greatest athlete in the world. I’d love a breather now and then. Say you’ll trade off with me.”

The way Dan was standing by Muffy, Jennifer was sure she was his date, if such a word applied here. And as such, his doubles partner. How was he going to take being saddled with Jennifer? But there wasn’t much either of them could do at this point to avoid it.

“Thanks,” she said, returning Muffy’s smile. “I’d like that.” She turned toward the blond and took the hand that was extended for a quick shake.

“You’re the girl at the skydiving field,” Astrid said, eyes narrowing speculatively. This was Reid’s date, the woman who had been with him that day. Jennifer’s heart fell. This must be the woman he was being faithful to, if her theory was correct. “I must say you look so much better without mud on your nose.”

They all laughed, but Jennifer had a hard time keeping a smile. This woman wanted Reid. She could sense it, and she didn’t like it. What was more, Astrid felt the same way about her.

She sat at the side of the court and watched them play. Tall and graceful, Astrid moved like a ballerina and she played beautifully. Her pale blue eyes turned toward Reid every time she made a shot, watching for his praise. Jennifer bit her lip and looked away, wishing the two of them didn’t look so good together.

Reid and Dan both played with energy and skill. Muffy lived up to her name, but she tried hard and laughed a lot. Jennifer knew she could be a friend, given the opportunity. Astrid was another story.

“Your turn!” Muffy’s cheeks were rosy, and her breath was coming fast. “And don’t be in a big hurry to give that racquet back to me.”

Jennifer joined the others. Dan still wasn’t comfortable with her, but she ignored that and played hard. Tennis was one game she’d always been pretty good at, and she soon had Dan appreciating her expertise.

“Hey,” he called after a particularly good volley, “I thought you ‘weren’t real good’ at tennis.”

She nodded pertly. “You thought a lot of things.”

He saluted her with his racquet as he passed. “I’m glad I was wrong on all counts.”

She turned and stopped him, looking earnest. “I’m sorry I led you on. It wasn’t fair.”

He shrugged, obviously ready to forget the whole incident. “Who knows? We may have a chance to win this thing yet!”

She grinned, glad for the opportunity to win back his good feelings. She was sorry she’d made such a mess of things when they’d first met. If he was a good friend of Reid’s, he’d be a friend of hers, too.

She rocketed a backhand shot right past Reid and jumped in delight. He shook his head in mock disgust, but he was obviously pleased with her. “What have we got here, a young Chris Evert in disguise?” he teased.

“Not quite,” she shot back. “I just rise to meet the challenge of my competition.”

They all laughed, but Jennifer took her success a little too much to heart and put all her muscle into an overhead that went straight into Astrid’s stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Jennifer cried, rushing forward. She felt immediately contrite, wondering if she’d subconsciously done it on purpose. From the look in her eyes Astrid wondered, too.

But she soon recovered, and the rest of the game went on without mishap, leaving Dan and Jennifer the winners and Reid and Astrid obligated to buy the first round of drinks.

They sat in the afternoon sun on a terrace overlooking the ocean and drank tall, icy drinks with just enough alcohol in them to add a bit of zing. Once the subject of their game had been exhausted, the conversation tended to exclude Jennifer, which was only natural. The others spoke of mutual friends and remembered outings and parties Jennifer had missed, and planned a golf date and a sailing expedition that would take place long after she was gone.
 

She certainly wasn’t left out intentionally, but it occurred to her that she would never be a part of the group, because she never had been when she’d lived here.
 
Somehow she’d hoped things might have changed. She was older now, and she should be able to tolerate, to blend,
 
to understand, to compromise.
 

But she couldn’t help it. What these people were interested in just wasn’t what she was interested in. She couldn’t care less where Ralph Tumult had bought his newest Mercedes, what stock prices did last week, whether or not Jane Pitt hocked all her jewels and was now wearing paste and pretending—though God knew even a blind man’s Seeing Eye dog could have told the difference
--
, or if Jordan Kash should be kicked off the club board because he’d been caught sleeping with the golf pro’s wife-—right in the middle of a tournament. She wasn’t made to belong to the club set. It wasn’t in her.

When Jennifer got up to visit the powder room, the other two women rose to go with her, chattering all the way in. Astrid sat beside Jennifer at the long mirror, and they both combed their hair and freshened their makeup.

Jennifer sneaked a look at the woman beside her and decided to jump right in. “I’m sorry to have turned up as sort of a fifth wheel on your arrangement here,”

Astrid laughed softly. “Don’t worry about it, dear.” She dabbed powder on her nose from a golden compact. “Reid is obviously fascinated with you for the moment.” She turned to smile with genuine friendliness that took Jennifer aback when it was combined with what she was saying. “I understand you two were friendly once in the past.”

“Yes,” Jennifer began, prepared to launch into a full explanation, but Astrid waved it away.

“I understand fully. I know what men are like.”
 

Muffy came out to sit on her other side, and she turned to her. “They’re all the same, aren’t they? It’s like spring fever or something. They get all obsessed by something or other—a new car or a sailboat or a new sport—or a girl—and they act quite demented for a while.” She shrugged and laughed, turning back to Jennifer. “But it always passes.”

A chill went through Jennifer. It hadn’t been meant as a dig at her. Strangely enough, she knew that. Astrid was being modern and objective.

She glanced at Muffy and received an apologetic smile and a tiny shrug. Then Mufly asked to borrow a dab of Astrid’s perfume, and the conversation left the issue of Reid behind. Astrid turned and offered Jennifer a dab as well. No, Astrid hadn’t intentionally meant to insult Jennifer.

But it had been meant as a bit of friendly advice. Astrid had merely let her know that she didn’t feel threatened. Despite Jennifer’s appropriate clothes and attempt to fit in, it all came down to the same thing. Astrid had the same opinion of her that Dan had at first. She figured Jennifer was one of those “male things” that Reid had to get out of his system.

Jennifer wasn’t affronted this time. She was saddened. Astrid didn’t even know the quality of what she had. That was what made Jennifer angry. Astrid expected to be cheated on. And Reid was no cheater.

Reid stood as they came back to the table.

“We have to be going, Jennifer,” he told her softly. “I’ve got some plans.”

She nodded, glad at the prospect of being alone with him again. They said good-bye to the others and walked through the club toward the parking lot.

“Did you have a date with Astrid?” she asked him as they went through the glass door.

“Just for tennis.”

She threw him a baleful glance. “I’m sure she assumed it would be for more than that.”

“Not really. Her family has out-of-town guests this week, and she’s expected home soon to help entertain them.”

“Oh.”

Talk about contrary, she chided herself. First she’d been worried that he was walking out on a date with Astrid, then—when she found out that wasn’t the case —she felt just a little miffed to discover he hadn’t given everything up just to be with her after all.

They drove home in the MG, and he didn’t speak again until they reached the house. “Have you thought about seeing your parents?” he asked, turning off the engine and swinging around to look at her.

She avoided his eyes. “I’ve thought about it. I haven’t decided to do it, though.”

“Okay.” His arm came across the back of his seat, and his fingers just reached her shoulder, touching her lightly with the tips. “I told you I wouldn’t push.”

The corners of her mouth turned up as though she couldn’t stop them. “Even though you’re dying to,” she accused.

He chuckled. “Touche. But I’ve got self-control, Jennifer. Hadn’t you noticed?”

She’d noticed, all right. It was one of the things she hated about him most. At least, for the moment.

“What are your plans for the evening?”

“I’ve given all the servants the night off,” he said softly. “I’m planning to make you dinner, all by myself.”

Her laugh bubbled out. “What? Is this some new form of torture?”

“Certainly not.” He managed to look offended. “I’m a very good cook.” He noticed his fingers touching her and quickly drew his hand away. “I want you to go upstairs and take a nap while I fix dinner.”

She shook her head, puzzled. “I don’t need a nap. Let me help you.”

“No.” He used the handle to open the door. “I want you to have some time alone. That’s what this little vacation is all about.”

He wanted her to have time to think, to have time to gather her courage to meet with her parents. Well, she couldn’t blame him for trying. She went up to her room and lay on her bed, but it didn’t change her mind.

What finally brought her back downstairs again were the delicious smells emanating from the kitchen. She got up, changed into a flowered silk jumpsuit, and went down to investigate.

“What have we got here?” she asked as she came
into the huge, efficiently laid-out kitchen. “It sure
smells good.”

His smile warmed her. “Bouillabaisse.”

“You’re kidding!” She looked into the pot at the red lobster tails and black-shelled mussels. “I didn’t know you were such a gourmet guy.”

“Actually, I’m just learning about this stuff,” he admitted a bit sheepishly. “I had the cook buy all the ingredients and write out step-by-step instructions for me. And ... voila!”

She helped him dish it up, and they ate heartily, their bowls of bouillabaisse supplemented by crusty sourdough bread and a light wine. Jennifer made just enough ecstatic moans of sensual delight to swell Reid’s pride in his culinary skills, and they laughed together a lot.

“So you like it, huh?” he said as they leaned back, pleasantly satiated.

She smiled at his obvious fishing for more compliments. “I like it,” she agreed. “And I like you,” she added in a tiny voice, watching for his reaction.

She was disappointed when he didn’t answer. He poured more wine for them, almost as though he hadn’t heard. She knew he was determined to keep their relationship from slipping over the edge of friendship into something more intimate, more exciting. Contrary as ever, that only made her more interested in exploring just how deep his feelings of affection for her might lie.

But the direct approach wasn’t going to get her anywhere just yet, she decided. She thought of something else, and a sparkle shone in her eyes. “Interesting, isn’t it, how readily Dan assumed I was your live-in tramp.” She raised an eyebrow. “Care to elaborate on that?”

He took a long sip of his wine and stared at her over the rim of the glass. “Elaborate on what?” he asked smoothly.

“On why it didn’t surprise him. On why he had absolutely no problem in picturing me as your bimbo of the week.”

He shrugged with assumed boredom, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. “Dan makes a lot of erroneous assumptions.”

She wasn’t going to let him off that easily. Leaning forward, she watched him narrowly. “Is that your usual practice? Do you often bring home strange women for the weekend?”

He considered for a moment, then grinned. “Seldom as strange as you.”

Her eyes danced. “How strange is that?”

He laughed and reached across the table for her hand. “I’ll take ‘the fifth’ on that one.”

She loved the feel of his hand covering hers. “So tell me about those other women,” she pursued. She really wanted to ask him about Astrid, but she didn’t dare. Not yet.

He shrugged. “What’s to tell? I’ve got a constant stream of them. In and out, it’s Grand Central Station around here.” His grin was slow and lazy. “You just happened to show up on an off weekend.”

“No one special?” she asked, hoping he didn’t notice how breathless the question made her.